As I sat down to write this column I looked across to a gift that had been given to me by one of the Okanagan Xeriscape Association directors—a small ceramic piece with ‘Kill yer lawn’ written on it, and I thought “how appropriate.”

Traditional turf grass lawns, while aesthetically pleasing to some, come with significant environmental and maintenance costs.

Whether because of concerns about excessive water consumption, chemical fertilizers or constant mowing, many homeowners are choosing to replace their grass with more sustainable alternatives.

Instead, you could plan a native plant garden, vegetable beds, or simply reduce maintenance in that patch, but removing turf grass is the first crucial step to reducing water consumption and maintenance.

There are many ways to get rid of a patch of turf. Sheet mulching, also known as lasagna gardening, stands out as one of the most environmentally-friendly removal methods. This technique involves layering organic materials directly over existing grass to smother it while simultaneously building healthy soil.

To implement sheet mulching, start by mowing your grass as short as possible.

Next, lay down a barrier layer of cardboard or newspaper, ensuring pieces overlap by at least six inches to prevent the grass underneath from finding gaps.

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